1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to paper construction, particularly boxes and cartons, and is more specifically directed to a display device having an easel support designed for displaying printed matter or an article of merchandise angled to a surface.
2. Prior Art
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,630, issued to the inventor of the present invention, there is disclosed other embodiments of the present invention. In those embodiments a display device having a collapsible easel support is provided which also has a back panel. Hinged to that back panel is a stay flap. A strut is formed by a stay panel hinged to a support panel. The support panel is hinged to the interior of the back panel and the stay panel is hinged to the interior of the stay flap. When deployed, the stay panel rests against the stay flap and the support panel supports the back panel at the predetermined angle to the surface.
In that patent numerous embodiments are disclosed. All of those embodiments are a substantial improvement over the prior art. They provide for display devices automatically manufacturable from a single flat paper blank. The easel supports are of two types. One that is manually deployed and one that is automatically deployed. The manually deployed embodiments require that the individual erecting the collapsible easel support insure that the stay panel properly lays against the stay flap. The other embodiment disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,630 automatically erects the easel support.
Discussed fully in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,630 is other relevant art. As shown there, the prior art utilizes easel supports which easily tend to collapse or are extremely complex and difficult to erect. Illustrative of the first type is U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,671 and illustrative of the second type are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,507,947; 2,783,013 and 1,860,324. Other prior art of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,860,324; 1,330,946; 527,694; Re 22,109; 1,621,754; 2,159,887; 2,716,485; 3,013,668; 3,035,363; and 3,130,510; and British Pat. No. 113,330.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a display device having an easel support for a display device which can be made from a unitary blank.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for such display device which can be quickly and easily assembled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for such a display device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a display device which is collapsible and occupies relatively little additional room in a collapsed state than the assembled box or card for which it provides support.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a display device which does not require careful attention to deployment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a display device which does not require intricate assembly for deployment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an easel support which can be automatically manufactured without manual assembly by machine die cutting, scoring, glueing and other such techniques.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for such a display device that permits the blanks be closely abutted to each other to make efficient use of the paper from which they are cut.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for the above objects in a simple, clean, attractive, and relatively inexpensive construction.